Fife King Eider

[DJ Sideboard]

Does anywhere know where the female King Eider is best looked for?.

I gather she wanders around a fair bit, are there any patterns to this?

Cheers

DJ

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Hi DJ. I'm probably not very qualified to answer this as I've never seen the 'Queen' Eider! However, in Fife it is almost always reported around Methil Power Station at the mouth of the River Leven (and has been seen there quite regularly of late). You can view either from the car park on the Leven side of the river or from the car park at East Fife football ground on the Methil side (near the docks). She also turns up quite often at Aberlady in Lothian but often disappears for long periods of time - presumably going unnoticed somewhere else on the Forth. Good luck - I might even see you down there as I've been meaning to have another tilt for her.

[DJ Sideboard]

Thanks for that, I'll give it a try next time I'm in Fife.

[Michael Frankis]

It might be a bit more reliable if it didn't drink Methilated spirit?

[Steve G]

It might be a bit more reliable if it didn't drink Methilated spirit?
Another bad joke brought to life Michael? ;)

[Tom Moodie]

Directions from Fifebirder are spot on, I have seen bird from car park on Leven side of river 3 times in 4 visits this year and a friend had once from behind football ground early January. Keep trying and good luck.

Tom

[david kelly]

It seems to spend the late Spring and early Summer at Aberlady but has been seen at Musselburgh too. Only when it realises that the male Eiders on the Lothian side are too fussy does it swim off to the common side in search of a bag off.

[DJ Sideboard]

Cheers everyone!. I'll be down visiting friends that way soon, so I'll have a look. Its hard to catch up with King Eider since the demise of the Ythan bird!.

Tom, is your Avatar the Collieston RF Falcon of last autumn?. Straining my eyes to see!

[Alan Hobson]

Cheers everyone!. I'll be down visiting friends that way soon, so I'll have a look. Its hard to catch up with King Eider since the demise of the Ythan bird!.

Tom, is your Avatar the Collieston RF Falcon of last autumn?. Straining my eyes to see!


What happened to the Ythan bird? Having heard about it last year [although the information may have been slightly out of date by then], I was thinking of searching for it this year whilst in Scotland. It's a good job you tipped me off!

[Andrew Whitehouse]

The old Tayport drake also seems to have gone the way of all flesh too.

[DJ Sideboard]

The Ythan bird doen't return any more, it was thought to be the same bird as wintered at Tayport. I last saw it Sep 1999, but I then moved away for a while, think it was last seen in 2000. Given the large amounts of Eiders on the Ythan, it may just be a matter of time before another one turns up.....

[PJ]

Hi all I am going to fife this weekend and will be staying at the docks, 2 things, I will only have bins with me is it still worth a look? also I will not have a car, can you walk from the docks to the car park?, if I have not heard from anyone by 4ish...I am off to the airport

[Tom Moodie]

Yes DJ, it is photo of Collieston RF Falcon, one of my first attempts at digiscoping. Hope you manage to see King Eider, it has been seen from carpark on Leven side of river today again.
Tom

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Yes DJ, it is photo of Collieston RF Falcon, one of my first attempts at digiscoping. Hope you manage to see King Eider, it has been seen from carpark on Leven side of river today again.
Tom

By one of our own correspondents. We'll be back with further details, soon. ;)

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Further details are now coming in:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=115388#post115388